Clothes-dkjer



NV PETERS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGYDN. D C.

UNiTED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. DURAND, OF NILES, MICHIGAN.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,013, dated January 1, 1861.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN H. DURAND, of Niles, in the county of Berrienand State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Clothes-Driel',and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this speciication,l in which- Figure lrepresents a longitudinal vertical section of my invention when expandedto its full length. Fig. 2 is a similar` section of the same whencontracted.

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.lith a good clothes drier it is essential that it be so arranged that itca n be lused in the house where the space is limited, or in the openair where the space is, comparatively speaking, unlimited. It musttherefore be so constructed that it can be expanded or contracted atpleasure, and that it can be used equally well whether' expanded to itsfull length or when expanded only partially. Its legs have to be made sothat it will stand firm, under all circumstances, and so that it willnot be blown over when a wind springs up; and it is also very desirableto have the rails, which support the clothes, arranged in such a mannerthat the same (lo not rise or fall materially when the clothes-drier isexpanded or contracted and that when the same is used in the open air,and a sudden storm makes it desirable to take in the clothes, this canbe done by simply contracting the clothes-drier without danger ofsoiling the clothes.

To enable those skilled in the art lto make and use my invention I willproceed to describe it with reference to the drawing.

The clothes-drier A, consists of a series of slats B, which are hingedtogether' somewhat on the principle of lazy tongs by means of crossrails O. The last upper pair of the slats B, are connected to the legsD, and small links E, are interposed between said legs, and the lastlower pair of the slats B, whereby the legs are thrown in an outwardlyinclined lposit-ion as clearly shown in Fig. 1, of the drawing. Therails C, serve to support the clothes to be dried, and it will beobserved that the clothes-drier can be expanded or contracted withoutmaterially -raising or lowering said rods, and in expanding orcontracting the same its legs are continually kept in an inclinedposition. My clothes drier therefore can be used with equal advantagewhen expanded to its full length or when only partially expanded; itwill stand firm in all cases, and when it is desired to take the drierwith the clothes from the open air into the house this can be done bycontracting it without danger of soiling the clothes.

It is obvious that by adding more sections the capacity of myclothes-drier can be increased, and when it is not used it can becontracted and stored away in a small space.

The device is strong, cheap and durable and the arrangement of the slatsB, is such that the rails C, are enabled to support a pretty heavyweight, and that a large quantity of clothes can be hung up on the samewithout danger.

IVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A clothes-drier A, consisting of a series of slats B, connected bycross-rails C, in combination with the links E, and legs D; all arrangedand operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN I-I. DURAND.

